In this article, we will be discussing what an FTDI driver is and how you can download and install them on your Windows computer if you’re facing issues with them. Not many people are aware of what they are and what purpose they serve. Hopefully, this will help you get a beginner’s understanding of FTDI drivers.
What is FTDI driver?
Future Technology Devices International, short for FTDI, is a semiconductor device company that manufactures the said computer drivers, specializing in USB drivers. They develop and manufacture devices and software drivers that help establish a connection between the computer and the hardware device. They are, in essence, like other software drivers i.e., having the latest versions of FTDI drivers ensures smooth communication between the software and the hardware.
How to install FTDI drivers in Windows 11/10
There are two ways you can install an FTDI driver on your Windows PC. Let’s see how you can go about all three ways:
- Manually install FTDI drivers
- Use Driver Updater software to install suitable drivers
- Using INF files
1] Manually install FTDI drivers
The primary method here is to visit the FTDI website and search & download the drivers you’re looking for. Here’s how that can be done:
- Open your web browser and visit the FTDI driver download center
- Search for and select the relevant drivers, match them with your system
- Download the file and install it on your computer
You will be required to follow the process as prescribed to complete the process.
2] Use Driver Updater software to install suitable drivers
If you don’t prefer to put in the hard yards of finding out what software drivers need an update, you can just use free Driver Updater tools to scan your system and do that for you.
Read: Where to download drivers for Windows 11/10
3] Using INF drivers
Lastly, you can use a .inf file package to download and install FTDI drivers. This method can come in handy when the driver file is not in a self-extracted form but rather packaged in a .inf or a .zip file. A ‘.inf’ file is a text document containing all of the information that device installation components used to install a driver package on a device. Before you begin, you should ensure that you have the FTDI driver file on your PC.
- Open the Device Manager and locate the device for which you want to install the FTDI driver
- Click on Update Driver and select the option to locally choose the driver you want to install
- Browse among the folders on your PC, click on the ‘.inf’ file, and install it
- Alternatively, you can simply locate the ‘.inf’ file and select to install it
You may also use freeware like the DriveStore Explorer or run the command line to install an FTDI driver via its ‘.inf’ file, if you feel comfortable operating them.
We hope that you find this helpful.
What is FTDI USB Driver?
As mentioned, FTDI specializes in creating drivers for USB connections. One of their drivers is the USB Serial Port Driver. The purpose of this technology is to enable your computer’s operating system to connect with the USB serial port devices.
What are FTDI drivers used for?
FTDI drivers and chips primarily help in establishing USB connections. An FTDI chip is used in mobile phone cables, service boxes, or any USB device that can be connected to a PC. For example, the RS232 output will be able to communicate with a PC’s USB with the help of an FTDI chip.
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